Submitted by
Louise Willison

Lloyd Woodford Hughes

Rev. Lloyd Woodford Hughes, retired Newkirk minister and resident, died Monday evening, Aug. 21, 2006, in the Ponca City Medical Center. He was 84.

The son of Woodford and Nellie (Pepper) Hughes, Lloyd was born Dec. 11, 1921, in Corydon, Ind. He grew up and received his education in Corydon and graduated from Corydon High School with the class of 1940.

On Oct. 10, 1941, Lloyd and Vivian Lenore Kiger were married in Corydon. They established their first home there and operated a grocery store.

Lloyd served his country with the United States Navy and was honorably discharged as a N Apprentice Seaman, V-3 on Sept. 25, 1942.

In addition to his work at the grocery store, he was employed as a game warden for a time. Lloyd had worked in taxidermy all of his life. He also had a business, Never A Dull Moment, of sharpening saws and scissors.

On Aug. 29, 1952, Lloyd was ordained into the Church of the Nazarene by the Indianapolis District. He was the pastor for churches in Indiana until 1964 when they moved to Lehi, Ariz., to minister to the Pima-Maricopa Indians. The following year he was sent to Cache, Okla., and ministered to the Comanche. In 1968 they were sent to Chilchinabito, Ariz., where they lived on the reservation and ministered to the Navajos. In 1969 they were sent to Pawnee, Okla., where they served until 1974. That year they were sent to Smoke Signal, Ariz., and in 1977 they were sent to Needles, Calif. In 1978 they began their ministry in Poplar, Mont.; 1981 found them ministering in Haleysburg, Ind.; and in 1982 they served in the North American Indian District at Sells, Ariz. From 1984 they ministered in the Ponca City area and then in Newkirk. Rev. Hughes retired when the Newkirk Church of the Nazarene closed its doors for the last time. Like many retired ministers, he filled in as supply minister and guest speaker for several years. He had been employed at the Ponca City Wal-Mart Store for eight years.

In the early years, Lloyd supported his family with his photography skills while starting new churches. He enjoyed wood carving and was an amateur ham radio operator. He was a man with multiple abilities.

He is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Lloyd W. Jr. and Marsha Hughes, of Lebanon, Ind., and Jerry L. Hughes of Oklahoma City; one daughter and son-in-law, Sharon R. and Mike Lesslie of Olatha, Kan.; one brother, Earl Hughes of New Albany, Ind.; 11 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife Vivian on Sept. 25, 2005; one son, Larry Hughes; his parents; and his step father, Rollie Sims.

Funeral services have been scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 24 in Miller-Stahl Funeral Chapel with Dr. Tharon Daniels, District Superintendent of the north west Oklahoma district for the Church of the Nazarene officiating. He will be assisted by the Rev. Roy Edwards and the Rev. Cleo Brown. The Rev. Luis Headman, minister of the Ponca Indian Nazarene Church, will officiate at the graveside rites in the Newkirk Cemetery. Miller-Stahl Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.

Family members serving as casket bearers will be Lloyd Hughes, Jerry Hughes, Zack Harris, Mike Lesslie, Mike Crawford, and Jason Dunnington.